Lord Provost praises quick thinking in response to call from Kyiv

In response to a call from twin city Kyiv, Edinburgh has sent more than 3,000 sandbags to help protect statues and monuments in the Ukrainian city.

The appeal to the Lord Provost’s office was met with an immediate response, with the sand bags being sent to Krakow as personal luggage of an easyJet captain. The bags are now en route to Kyiv by train.

The response which came just two weeks after the initial call was helped by Falkirk Council who donated the sandbags, and support from NatWest. The bags will be used to create protection around important monuments and memorials to preserve them for future generations.

The Rt Hon Lord Provost, Frank Ross, said: “I’m delighted we were able to answer our twin city Kyiv’s call for help so quickly and that the sandbags will soon be put to good use protecting their treasured monuments and, with that, their history. The coordination and delivery involved in turning this around has required a real ‘can do’ attitude and a true team effort between all of the organisations involved. They each deserve great credit for their ingenuity and input.

“This is typical of the response since the invasion began a month ago, which has seen a characteristically caring and generous response from the people and organisations from across Edinburgh, with many coming forward with offers of help and donations. As people flee the war and choose to seek refuge here, our teams will continue to work around the clock to welcome families with open arms and make sure they receive the safety and support they need.”

Milly Batchelor from the Youth Banking Customer Journey Team, NatWest Group, said: “At NatWest Group, our thoughts are with the people and families whose lives have been affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We were delighted our employee volunteers were able to support this initiative.”

Dorothy Reid, Roads and Grounds Manager for Falkirk Council, said: “It was a very straight forward request that we knew could help the aid operation in Ukraine. There’s already a massive humanitarian effort going on however, this seemed something that was a bit different, and we were really happy to offer a hand with. We hope that some of the city’s historic landmarks can be protected with the sandbags and our small donation helps Kyiv and its citizens maintain its cultural identity.”

https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/ukraine